ANC’s mayoral woes

449 Thoko Didiza. 160107. Picture: Bongiwe Mchunu

449 Thoko Didiza. 160107. Picture: Bongiwe Mchunu

Published Jun 20, 2016

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Pretoria - Former cabinet minister Thoko Didiza will be named the ANC mayoral candidate for the City of Tshwane for the August 3 local government elections.

Her nomination followed weeks of a stalemate between incumbent mayor and ANC regional leader Kgosientso Ramokgopa and his number two, Mapiti Matsena, after which the party sought a compromise candidate.

Matsena, strategic executive head of secretariat of council in the Ramokgopa administration, was favoured by the region to be mayor.

The ANC announced its mayoral candidates for the metros at the weekend but minus Tshwane, where the party faces a strong challenge from the DA. The party said at the time it had not yet agreed on a mayoral candidate for the capital.

However, the Pretoria News has it on good authority that the announcement of Didiza’s candidacy was delayed because ANC branches had not yet been informed of the decision.

Further deliberations were held at the Sammy Marks council chamber on Sunday, while ordinary members gathered at the Tshwane Events Centre awaiting the outcome of the meeting.

Following the stalemate, the national executive committee (NEC) set out to get a mayoral candidate who would appeal to the masses and had administrative experience.

Didiza’s name came out tops, and she was seen as the perfect candidate to unify the region and city, party insiders said.

The NEC, in addition, noted that divisions within the ANC and its relationship with alliance partners in the city were deeper than initially thought - and beyond repair.

Ramokgopa, as the head of the region, paid the ultimate price, they said.

He had become mayor towards the end of 2010, succeeding his aunt and then the capital's first citizen Gwen Ramokgopa, who had been appointed Deputy Health Minister.

He retained the position unopposed after the ANC emerged victorious following the 2011 local government elections, and was re-elected regional chairman in 2014 amid controversies leading up to the elective conference.

The politician nicknamed Sputla had been gradually losing his popularity in the region since then.

The Pretoria News first reported early last month that Ramokgopa was in his final days in the city’s highest office as regional executive committee (REC) members would prefer a different mayor.

The region had been plagued by infighting within the ANC and alliance partners, who had been calling for the mayor’s axing for some time.

Clashes in various branches regarding ward councillors’ nominations have continued unabated in the past few months.

Ramokgopa was not on the list of three mayoral candidates nominated and forwarded to the provincial executive committee (PEC). The list was topped by Matsena, who is also first on the proportional representation list of candidates.

Matsena was followed on the mayoral candidates list by little-known Karin Littler, a former uMkhonto we Sizwe cadre, and REC member Susan Ngobeni.

But the PEC rejected the mayoral nominations and was reported to favour the return of Ramokgopa.

In a text message to members, the unhappy faction expressed a concern that the PEC had been “doing as it pleased” in Tshwane for years. “They want to dictate to us who must be a mayor.

“They gave us Jason Ngobeni as city manager; we’ve made Paul Mashatile a chairman in past two congresses without questions; Makhura is a premier and we supported them... No, it’s enough now. No Mapiti, no vote...”

The message went further to threaten that the metro would turn into “Marikana and Vuwani” if Matsena was not a mayoral candidate.

Ramokgopa, meanwhile, had declared he was available for another term as executive mayor.

His spokesman Blessing Manale posted a short statement on social media stating the mayor had made himself available for another term “as mandated and nominated by the ANC structures and endorsed by the different voices and partners in the Tshwane region”.

“He believes he remains... committed to serving the people of Tshwane and continuing to champion the city’s development vision.”

Who is Thoko Didiza?

Born Angela Thokozile Didiza on June 2, 1965, in Durban.

Became Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs in 1999 and later headed the Public Works Ministry.

Has BA Hons

Married with five children.

Was a Young Global Leader in 2005.

In September 2008, Didiza and nine ministers resigned after then president Thabo Mbeki was recalled by the ANC.

Is a project consultant for the Archie Mafeje Research Institute at Unisa.

Is an MP and House chairwoman.

Pretoria News

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